


Valenwood

by altsome2023



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Backstory, Death, Family, Other, Skyrim - Freeform, Thalmor, Valenwood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-07-21 15:53:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7393795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altsome2023/pseuds/altsome2023
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To be completely honest, I suck at self-promotion, but this is just the little backstory I wrote for my Skyrim OC. It entails her journey to live with her grandmother in Valenwood and the events that transpired that led to her hatred of the Thalmor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Helgen

The foliage above me was dense and lush, only broken enough to allow small glimmers of light to trickle through. My legs were dangling off the edge of the branch, whose edge I was dangerously close to. The heights used to sicken me, but after five years, my fear of heights slithered back into the recesses of my mind, troubling me only in my sleep. I patted the sturdy trunk and maneuvered towards my grandparents' home, only a few trees away. The wind whipped through my amber hair as I swung to the rope bridge connecting their house to the rest of the forest.

I poked my head in and smiled as my grandmother beckoned me over, showing off the tender venison that she had spent the whole day carefully cooking. I took a seat, feeling the emptiness wash over me. "Where is everyone else? I thought Engaer and Eradan were supposed to be home this evening."

"They decided to go out hunting instead. I keep telling them that there's plenty to eat here, but they insist on going. If you ask me, I think they like to get out of the house. And your sister, she probably has her nose stuck in a book or the latest paper. I keep telling her that a woman so involved in politics will only bring trouble." My grandmother replied absentmindedly, her words flowing forth heedlessly as she continued to dice venison with an elven blade.

I heard a knock at the door, as a courier brought in the weekly paper. I snatched it quickly so that neither my grandmother nor my sister could read it first. The news was usually about two days behind, which, considering the distance some word needed to travel to reach us, was pretty fast. Having fast mail was a great benefit of proximity to the Cyrodiilic border. I needed a way to get my information about life outside of Valenwood, about life back home.

I had a secret affinity for politics, for the synergy, or rather, separation of men and their leaders. The act of the righteous few to sunder from the masses to step forth and shepherd the flock to which they once belonged. Eons later, nothing had changed, barring the depth of the rivet and the opacity of the veil between us. Not even the Gray Fox was quite as enigmatic. I believed no man was truly out for the people, for the leaders were no longer a part of the people. their branch had partitioned so long ago, they were barely recognizable as the same tree. No, no man could have our best interests at heart. One man could, however, have justice as a primary goal. I supported those who used their power to benefit the entire province, no matter the reason. To me, true motives mattered not, only actions. Time had flowed far too long for political duplicity to be an offense.

I opened the scroll and scanned through several headlines. In Skyrim, Ulfric Stormcloak, otherwise known as the Bear of Markarth, had recently been imprisoned for the siege of Markarth he conducted. The picture painted of him was not flattering. It was one of a murderous madman finally being imprisoned for his crimes. But I saw him as a man fighting the oppression and bigotry imposed upon him, as well as bringing forth a new era in the west, finally ridding The Reach of the cannibalistic scourge that had riddled the land with strife.

"It is sickening that Ulfric Stormcloak was promised reward for ridding the Reach of the lunatics that ran rampant and is still imprisoned for the worship of Talos. The Thalmor have no business meddling in Skyrim's affairs."

"They just want control of all of Tamriel, and they've succeeded. But you should keep that opinion to yourself, dear. You're beginning to sound like your sister. And I don't understand why you care so much anyway. You've not set foot in Skyrim in almost six years."

"I know, but Skyrim is my true home, it was where I was born and raised. To see it crushed by the hand of injustice is a violation of my soul, my true belonging."

" I wish you'd stop being so dramatic. You, your sister, and your brothers all left that behind when you came here. You must understand that this is the way it's been here for a long time. You've been staying here for six years now. You wished to learn our ways, your true culture, not that Nordic mumbo-jumbo you've been raised on. You may live among them, but you'll always be an outcast. Unless your skin matches their awful snow, you don't belong. Don't ever forget your place."

I sighed. "You wouldn't understand. You've never even set foot beyond the borders." My eyes glistened as tears delicately danced across my lower lash line. Somewhere in my heart, I knew she was right. I had always been an outsider in my home country. Despite being born there, the blood of my nordic father coursing through my veins, I was still seen as a foreigner. People's hatred towards my kind and myself was especially insulting when cast by the Nords, seeing as they themselves drove out the Falmer, indigenous to Skyrim, to claim the province as their own.

My grandmother placed a cold, sinewy hand on my shoulder. "Here, have something to eat, and try to forget about it." She set a plate in front of me, a cacophonous clatter ensuing as she put little care in its placement.

"Thank you," I muttered. I ate what was in front of me and retired to my room. I stared at the ceiling and sighed. Another long day in the land of elven oppression.

Why on Nirn did I ever come here? To find my true culture? I don't even have one.

Long after the sun had slipped into the maze of trees and the moons had risen, pulling a fraction of its brilliance up with them, their silver touch grazed my eyelids. The burden of seclusion and exhaustion had seeped into my body, the call of sleep now humming softly in my ears. I didn't fight the pull, instead giving in to my desires, closing my eyes and drifting into deep sleep.

 

\------

I opened my eyes and saw the shackles on binding my wrists, my bare feet exposed beneath the burlap pants I had on, held up only by a rope. I lifted my gaze to the skies and was immediately blinded by the brilliant light, no longer filtered by trees. The unbridled sun was still unfamiliar, as was the chill. It was so odd, the sun shining more brightly, yet less warmly. The brisk air enveloped my lungs, bringing me back to my childhood. It had been so long since I'd been here. Never had I envisioned I would return in chains.

Still squinting, I looked about me and began to regain my senses. Where am I?

"You're finally awake," I heard the deep, thickly accented voice call to me.

"Damn you, Stormcloaks," another voice broke out from the back of the cart. "Skyrim was fine before you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I'd have stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell by now." He paused, and turned to look at me, adjusting his position awkwardly due to his restraints and the choppy bouncing of the vehicle. "You there, you and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

The man who'd initially spoken to me raised his voice again. "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now." He was right. As I looked out, all five of us were bound at the wrists. One man, however, looked very strange. Adorned with a jet black cloak and the only one of us to be gagged, his silence was matched by only mine, the other three and the driver blathering all about me. I closed my eyes, hoping for peace in the dissipating moment. The monotonous plodding of the horses calmed me as we churned onward.

The rich, green forests were nothing like those I'd grown accustomed to. No, they were better. They were the ones to which I truly belonged. I could see from the faded signs along the cobblestone path that we were nearing Helgen, located in the same hold as my home, Falkreath. The sweet smell of pines enveloped my nostrils for the first time in eight years, the crisp air that carried it burning my nose.

Our grand procession continued to saunter down the path as we neared our destination. I felt the urge to flee, the wait more enervating than the impending execution. I now felt the slow burn of a dull suspense, a knife brandished against the throat, never quite slitting it. I couldn't wrap my mind around the reality of what was going to happen to me. I knew that I was standing at the precipice of death, but the passage of time had worn away the edge from the fear of falling in. Even my fear was ephemeral.

Skyrim's greeting was paralleled by its frigid temperature. My welcoming, a knife plunged in my back. The Legionaries that drove this cart saw me only as a filthy Bosmer, no longer recognizing me as the friend and ally I'd once been. All my life, I'd supported the Legion and their work in preserving the unity of Tamriel, but this, this was its very division. My death would be a mere hairline fracture in a vast network of diplomacy and duplicity. But the spindling cracks always slithered up, working their way towards the heart.

While I was looking up at the skies and reflecting, I could ignore the prattling of the two other men in the cart. But the monotonous hum was quickly broken up when the horse thief looked over at the cloaked man and asked, "What's wrong with him, huh?"

The blond Nord stiffened and pulled against his bindings, his voice shaking with anger. "Watch your tongue!" He spat. "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King."

The thief recoiled almost instantly and my mouth hung agape as we both realized who he was. "Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. If they've captured you..." His voice faltered as he came to the same realization I had upon waking. "Oh gods, where are they taking us?"

The Nord lowered his voice and hung his head upon his utterance. Hearing his words aloud finally rendered me able to fully comprehend the situation. A great wave of understanding crashed over me as I came to the horrifying realization of how little time I had left. A pit grew in my stomach, sinking down into the ground, as I glanced upon the horizon, now speckled with imperial flags and smoking chimneys. I truly understood what it meant to have the end in sight.

_"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits."_


	2. Transient Snows

Snowflakes twirled, gently spiraling down and melding with the powder that'd already reached the ground. I wondered whether its conjoining was a loss of an identity or the gaining of one through becoming a single entity. Even after a life intertwined with it, it remained enigmatic, never revealing its secrets, only covering them with another layer of crystalline flakes.

I stuck my tongue out, letting its heat melt into sweet water, quelling the protests of my parched throat. My eyes began to water as I stared up into the oddly bright clouds, massively silver with gray strands winding through. _Thwack!_ I felt a dull pain in the back of my neck as I whipped my head around to see what'd struck me. Scanning the massive evergreen forests of Falkreath, I saw nothing but the foliage and our home, the chimney smoking all too peacefully. I felt something cold and wet slide down my neck, sending shivers along my spine. I scowled at the snowbank before me, frantically trying to rub my hand down my back to rid myself of the discomfort the snow had caused.

Before I could even think, I was on the ground, my back slammed into the freshly fallen snow. The cackling of my brothers answered all remaining questions. I sprang back to my feet, a sly grin pulling itself across my face. I swooped down with the speed of an eagle and grabbed the biggest handful of snow I could, dividing it into two chunks and hurling each at their faces simultaneously. While I missed Engaer, I hit Eradan square in his ugly face. He looked dumbfounded, shaking the snow off of his face with his mouth agape.

I let my guard down to laugh at him, hunched over with my core aching from such rapid contractions. I felt a hand on my back, and before I could react, I was once again on the ground, this time planted on my face. Spitting snow out of my mouth I went up for air. Gasping for breath, another hand was in suddenly front of me, loaded with snow. Oh, gods. I felt Eradan's glove in my face, rubbing the snow in with such force, my eyes began to water again. I spat what was left in my mouth at his face and leaped at him, knocking him to the ground. I kicked snow in his face unrelentingly. He was waving his arms to try to get me to stop, so I kicked those, too. Then, I felt Engaer pull me backwards, hitting me in the face with at least ten clumps of snow, completely blinding me. Eradan got up and joined him. The two of them picked me up over their heads, spun me around, and let me plummet back onto the frozen ground.

Coughing and sputtering, I just laid there, vertigo softening my mind as the world reeled about me. A few pathetic projectiles yet struck me, but I was already done in. I laid there panting with my arms outstretched.

"Come on, 'Gacia. You're the worst warrior ever. I bet you're gonna be a baker or something dumb like that if your fighting skills are this terrible." Engaer taunted.

"I...," I huffed, "I think that maybe... maybe a two-to-one fight with... with a sister three years your junior is a... a little unfair."

"Ha! It shows only your weakness, little girl," He scoffed, puffing out his chest.

"Yeah," Added Eradan, "You're nothing but a weak little milk drinker!"

"Oh yeah? And how much mead could you two possibly have drunk?"

"Well, this one time, Father left his Nord Mead out on the table after he went to bed, and I drank some," Eradan said with a proud smirk.

"That's nothing," Engaer retorted. "I drank an entire glass of Colovian Brandy... or at least what was left in the glass."

"Well, you're stupid," Eradan said, pushing him.

"You're dumber than a troll. And you smell like one, too. Wait, no. You smell even worse than a troll!"

"I'll show you a troll, you idiot. Aaaarrrgh!" Eradan cried, leaping at him with his arms outstretched. He knocked him on the ground and the two rolled around in the snow, hitting each other and rubbing snow in the other's face.

Whist they fought, I made a stealthy escape back into the house where I sat by the fire, soaking in its warmth and laughing at my brothers who were still outside pouncing on one another like sabre cats. Legolandra was in the corner, reading a book, too busy to notice me. I felt bad for her as she sat all alone, lost in thought and text. I knew that she wanted nothing more to study at the College of Winterhold, but several factors played in her stay. Ever since the Great Collapse, people were more and more suspicious of elves, and with our distance from the hold, it would be impossible to intervene, were she attacked. Finances were also a struggle. My parents were planning something big, for they said that they did not have enough septims to spare for a two-way trip to Winterhold. I'd just hoped for her sake that she could study magic elsewhere. Her aptitude was too great not to take notice of.

Once I felt I was sufficiently heated, I strolled into the dining room and looked for something to eat. I saw our fresh harvest of leeks and carrots, so I began to chop them to prepare a stew for the whole family. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mother glide into the kitchen, tying her apron.

"What are you up to, little one?" She asked.

"Well, I thought I would make some stew for the whole family. Throw in some beef and tomato." I answered, trying to sound as knowledgeable as possible.

"Ah, I see." She paused and came to my side, placing her hand over mine on the knife. "And I'm guessing you were also prepared to add in a little essence of fingertips, seeing as to how you're holding this." She began to gently rock the knife, letting it crash and sunder the vegetables like the rolling tides of the sea.

"I don't think even the Gourmet would make such a bold culinary maneuver," She laughed as she sliced through the carrots effortlessly, sliding the perfect discs into the pot of boiling water I'd put on.

I giggled. "At least I boiled the water right!"

"That, you did. But either way, I'm proud of you. Your techniques will develop over time, but I'm very pleased that you're already this skilled. Cooking isn't easy, love, and you've payed close attention to what I've taught you." She smiled and handed back the knife. "Here, take this. I'll oversee your little project, and if we all make it through without emptying our stomachs, I'll call it a success."

My father, with his booming voice, called my brothers in for dinner, and Legolandra begrudgingly slapped her book shut, all of us joining around the creaky old wooden table. The boys were red in the faces from winter's steely bite. Eradan walked with a slight limp, and Engaer kicked at his ankles, goading him to quicken in his best guard impression. "No lollygaggin," He barked as another swift swipe of the boot landed on the back of his leg. I knew that Engaer would get what he deserved. I stifled a giggle in anticipation of the retribution.

My mother and I decided not to tell anyone that I'd prepared the food, and it was hard to stop from smiling as we watched them take their first sips. Lifting my spoon to my lips, I nervously stuck my tongue out, tasting only a tiny droplet. My initial reaction was not one of disgust, so I put the entire spoon in my mouth, finding my concoction to be creamy, rich in flavor, and not overpowering, as I had feared.

From across the table, my mother winked at me, showing me that she too enjoyed it. I'd never been quite so successful at cooking. I knew, of course, that some credit had to be given to my mother, as she'd guided my hand. But for a mostly independent endeavor, I was pretty successful. Even Endaer, the pickiest eater of all, scarfed the stew down with little hesitation.

After everyone ate, I helped my mother wash our dishes in a large cauldron of hot water. I stoked the flames beneath as she rinsed each bowl and placed it back on its appropriate shelf. "I guess I should try to do this more often," I said, still boastful.

"Ahh, yes," She replied absentmindedly.

"What is it, mother?" I asked.

"Oh.. oh nothing. I'm just a little tired, dear. That's all."

"Okay," I said, and I took water from the cauldron and doused the flames.

She put the bowls in their proper spots and retired to her bedroom, leaving me all alone again. With a heavy heart, I picked up the broom and began to sweep what I could from the floor. It seemed, however, that its straw bristles were making more of a mess the dirt ever did, so I gave it up and went to my room, too. Legolandra had already been asleep since just after dinner, and my brothers were now sitting by the fire reading stories of ancient dragons. In other words, everything was as it should've been.

I laid in my warm bed for a while, my mind unable to rest. I listened as the winds changed, the snow more violent, the winds blowing harder. Skyrim's snows were transient, yet everlasting. How such a thing could be, I did not know. It just was. Thinking upon our harsh, beauteous lands, I drifted to sleep, its sanguine kiss lifting the burdens of my young mind.

      _The winds began to pick up once again._


	3. Sudden Severance

Some time in the night, the heavy snows had shifted to light rains. When I awoke, the world outside of my window was glazed in shimmering ice. I slowly sat myself up and cast the covers aside. Moving to the window, I sat on my knees, my fingers grazing the frosted glass. A frigid wind curled its icy tendrils underneath it, stiffening my already frozen hands. The sun began to timidly peek over the Throat of the World as the twin moons bid their final goodbyes before fading back into the heavens.

I got out of bed, grabbed a slice of bread, and put on my boots before heading outside to begin my morning rounds. The cold air enveloped my nostrils as a wave of serenity washed over me. As much I loved my family, nothing could compare to the bliss of solitude. I skidded down the path, pails in hand, to milk our two cows.

Engaer and Eradan named our biggest cow Cirwen after our rather brusque grandmother, a joke that my father thought hilarious. My mother, though feigning anger, could not uphold her facade for long. She certainly harbored no illusions about my grandmother's disposition.

Cirwen mooed impatiently as I walked over to her stall. I dragged a small stool over beside her as she and my cow, Allena, began lazily chewing on the hay that I'd set in their shared trough. My hands went through the motions that'd been so long ingrained in them, pulling and squeezing tenderly. Once I'd filled the first bucket, I moved over to Allena, our best milker, and repeated the process.

By the time I finished, the sun had risen considerably, having now solidified its assertion of dominance. It shone warmly on my face, helping to fight off the cold that plagued the rest of my body. I removed my cap and basked in its warm glow for a few fleeting seconds of bliss before returning to the house to finish the my remaining chores. The ice was beginning to melt, weighing me down with the water that'd seeped into my boots. Once I made it into the house, I swept the floors and washed all of the dishes that were used at breakfast. I was then finished, liberated.

My brothers came back in, both carrying a full basket of fresh eggs. I smiled at the peace between them, each too occupied to goad the other. But as soon as they set their eggs on the counter, they were free, too. All three of us exchanged eager glances, and, at the exact same moment, each of us bolted towards the door. Being slightly closer to begin with, I was the first to reach it.

"Hey, you got a head start!" Engaer shouted.

"Ha! I'll show her a head start!" Eradan laughed as he pushed me face-first into the snow.

I flipped myself over as quickly as I could, frantically wiping snow off of my face and tongue. "Bleh," I spat, "I can't believe neither of you has learned anything from yesterday! Aren't you two exhausted yet?"

"No way!" Eradan puffed his chest. "We're men! Well," He paused to look at Engaer, "me more than him... but we're tough!"

"So," Engaer prodded, "are you giving up then? Cause you're _tired_?"

"No way!" I shot back. "I was just asking if you two were scared. Me? I could scrap all day and take anyone who dared challenge me."

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that." Eradan said.

"Well, it's pretty obvious already that you two are scared because neither of you will fight me alone. You milk drinkers have to stick together to even dare to. Alone, you're absolute weaklings."

"Well, what am I gonna do if you two have a 'fair fight'? Sit over here punching myself? No way. I'll just beat both of you up at once," said Eradan.

"Yeah, I can take you both," Engaer chimed in.

"Fine by me," I said, leaping from the snow bank onto Engaer's back and shoveling snow into his face.

Eradan delivered a swift kick behind Engaer's knees, sending us both tumbling down into the glistening powder beneath us. I rolled off of him just before he hit the ground and spun around to stand up again. I charged Eradan, digging my shoulder into his chest and pushing him all the way to the side of the house. I crossed my forearms and pushed them against his neck, but just as I had him pinned, Engaer ducked between us, forcing his elbows into each of our guts. I fell on my back and quickly curled into the fetal position in the snow, and Eradan, previously standing, was keeled over, slowly sliding down against the wall.

Engaer, now fearing parental retribution, tried to run to the cow pens, but as he ran past, Eradan stuck his foot out just far enough to send Engaer tumbling, diving in head first. Eradan stood up again, his actions urging me to follow, as I could not afford another moment to sit incapacitated. I mustered all of my strength to again roll over and leap up, climbing on top of Engaer as he was down and rubbing a handful of snow to into his reddening face.

I felt a sharp pain in my shoulders as Eradan grabbed both of my elbows and yanked them behind me. This quick maneuver allowed Engaer to get back up and return my gesture, choking me with the increasingly heavy snow. As the sun's heat continued to intensify, each clump melted faster and faster, trickling down my face like wintry tears.

I was incredulous. Only mere minutes into our brawl, the twins had already teamed back up against me. While I admired their indissoluble bond, it was rather exasperating that I was always the recipient of their conjoined violence. As though they'd both just read my mind, Engaer quickly released his fist from my face, twisting his arm so that it now collided with Eradan's. With his arms locked in mine, Eradan was unable to protect himself. He stumbled backwards with a face full of snow, pulling me with him. Engaer again ran towards the cows, prodding Eradan to follow, which, rather predictably, he did.

I took a moment to catch my breath. As I laid there, I saw my mother poke her head out of the door. Seconds later, her booming voice followed. "Get over here, you rapscallions! You'll frighten the cows!"

The twins came running, tripping over and shoving one another. They stood panting as Mother spoke again. "I know all of you are rather excited right now, but would you please purchase supplies in Falkreath for me? I have a lot of work to do today, and I simply do not have the time to make the trip on my own." She paused. "I'll even let you three take the horses if you promise to behave."

That sealed it. The three of us saddled up our horses, and we were off. My mother wrote down a small list of items. I knew that she'd specifically chosen me to ensure that we wouldn't forget, for my imbecilic brothers could not be entrusted with even such a mundane task. I reached my leg as high as it would go, barely reaching the first stirrup before swinging my leg around and easily sliding my other foot into the second. I grabbed the reins and clicked my tongue, signaling my steed to proceed.

I began to ride out towards the main road, but Engaer cut me off. "No way we're letting you lead." He and Eradan pulled to the front, and I begrudgingly took up the rear. As we rode on, I watched the world slowly fade from snowy and prosaic to warm and prolific as we rode westward to Falkreath. The collision of the horses' hooves with the cobblestone path clicked with a round, warm tone, bringing the excited energy to a peaceful lull.

The sun was now shining warmly on my back, allowing me to relax further. I loved riding horses. I viewed it not as lording over the animal, but a mutual agreement, my ease of transportation in return for her care. To me, a good horse was not marked by speed or strength, but its upholding of this unsigned pact. Perhaps, I thought, it was my Bosmer blood, carrying compassion as it coursed through my veins.

In the distance, I could see Falkreath. The thatched roofs reflected a bit of the sun's brilliance, shining like beacons beneath me. In truth, the town frightened me a bit. It was all so morbid. If Helgen had the kind of merchants to peddle what we were looking for, I would've gone there instead. My only solace was in the fact that we needed to stop at Gray Pine Goods, which was not particularly death obsessed, and nowhere else. As we trotted through the main gates of the city, the guards tried to inconspicuously glance at us, clearly suspicious of our intentions. However, they gave us no trouble, and we went through, dismounting once we'd fully reached our destination.

We made our way in, purchased logs, leather, hay, and several sets of dishware, and then proceeded to spend our remaining allotted Septims on three sweet rolls, which we savored intensely. Between the commute, buying time, and time we took to consume our confections, at least an hour had passed, for the sun had slipped from the east to the west. As I ventured out with my brothers to make the return trip, the sun was once again warming my back. A slight breeze began rustling the trees as we made our way back through the forest, sweetly whispering through the foliage. There was something so beautiful about these enigmatic woodlands.

As we approached home, now trudging through the sludge left from the snowstorm before, I could see the outline of my mother, sister, and father and what appeared to be a large cart. As I drew nearer, I could see her expression more clearly. She looked excited, as she was smiling and jumping about, atypical behavior for someone as quiet as she. My father was loading bags onto the cart. Bedrolls, crates of food, and a few bottles of Alto wine were all that I could make out, though it looked positively packed.

"What's going on, 'Landra?" I called.

"Come and see," she said, jumping and beckoning me over.

I dismounted my horse and approached, the twins close behind me. "Well?"

"Well, Grandmother sent us a letter a few months ago inquiring whether we'd enjoy traversing Tamriel before stopping in Valenwood to stay with her for a few years. Just think about it; it's the educational experience of a lifetime. Finally, I could learn magic from those who are predisposed to it."

I had always wanted to see the home of my mother's people, the people to whom many thought I fully belonged. From what I'd read in books, Valenwood was amazing. Beautiful, minimalist, and tranquil, it finally seemed the perfect place for someone as placid as I. A rush of excitement surged through me, every second that passed stretching into an eternity. "When are we leaving?" I asked.

My mother chimed in, "Well, I know that this is all a big rush, but I wanted it to be a surprise. I know how much you love learning about Valenwood, your sister is very skilled in many elven arts, and your brothers need adventure. There is much to be found there that can satiate every need you each have. That is why you're leaving tonight. We've already packed your things."

My father spoke. "I know that your mother and I are now very happy being settled here. And I also know that you children have had your lives set up here, but we both feel as though you all are too young to settle down into this lifestyle. If you want to be farmers, or if you like this damned cold," My mother nudged his arm with the back of her hand. "Er, this stinking cold, then you are always welcome back. But we both agreed that you children are all too talented to waste your lives doing one thing before you've had the freedom to experience anything else. I never had the chance to travel, and I wouldn't ever wish the same curse of confinement on such good people."

I didn't know what to say to thank him for the tremendous gift they'd given me, but it all made sense now. The budgeting, and the secrecy, it was all because they'd been trying to desperately to make this a surprise.

"Thank you," I said, and I pulled my father into an embrace. I looked nothing like him, for it was common for my kind to bear resemblance to their mothers. I wished I could have inherited more from him, for he was strong, tall, and fair skinned, three traits that I did not possess, and pillars of Nordic pride. The transition to Valenwood , I thought, would probably be much smoother than my birthright into Skyrim, for, unlike here, I looked the part.

The sun began to sink, being engulfed in the serene still of night yet again. The anticipation welled inside me as I did a final scan of my room. Little was left behind. It looked rather bare and sad, a lone cobweb strung in the corner, its long-gone spider not even there to bid me adieu. I smoothed the furs draped over my bed before turning and walking to the kitchen. My mother caught me, patting me on the back. "So, who will take care of the house when we're gone?" I asked.

"Well, I will, of course." My mother answered as though I'd asked something completely irrational.

"You're not going with?"

"No, love, your father and I are going to stay here. We've settled, and we're happy. Nirn is out there for you to see, not us. You, Legolandra, Eradan, and Engaer are going, and that's it. Your sister will be navigating, and you and your brothers will simply help along the way. Your grandmother will surely set her own rules upon your arrival."

I sighed, hugging her more tightly. "All right. I'll sure miss you and Father."

"We'll miss you too, love," my father said, forming a protective outer shell in our embrace.

"Are you ready to go?" Legolandra called to me.

I pulled away from my parents and exhaled again. "Yes," I said softly. I walked outside into the cold air, yet again freezing, pulled under the blanket of night. I climbed in the cart and pulled some furs over my legs to try to combat my discomfort, only finding my brothers kicking me from underneath my covers.

"I will have none of this," my sister said with an imperious glare. "Do you three truly wish to start this foolishness before we begin? It is not too late to dump you all into the snow by the front door."

We were all tired enough that her words were enough to silence our own, the fire of her heated words quelling ours. As she clicked her tongue, goading our horses onward, I let my gaze fall on our house as it slowly faded from the distance. My parents stood out there watching us leave for so long that I was too far away to see when they actually retired back into the house. It mattered not. As it faded into the distance, my eyelids drooped, falling and shrouding my eyes with darkness like the cloak of night itself. I drifted peacefully.

_I knew that upon awakening, I would have all of Nirn before me._

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly doubt anyone will read this, but thanks for taking time out of your day if you did, even if you absolutely hate it. I'm not sure if I will ever even finish this, but I have a rough floor plan laid out in case I actually do it. And I'm sorry if it's bad . I honestly have no clue what I'm doing. This is the first thing I've ever posted.


End file.
